Faerie Queen by Jennie Taylor

Source: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Cecelia and Renee have been been best friends for 17 years, and the two know practically everything about each other; well, almost everything.

When Cecilia hears news that her father is dying, she tells Renee that she must go to him and never return. She reveals to Renee that she is a faerie, her father is the Faerie King, and that she was allowed to visit our world for one year so that she could find a suitable mate and take her father's place on the throne.

Both Cecilia and Renee are heartbroken that Cecilia has to leave, but Cecilia comes up with a plan that will allow them to remain together; Cecilia will take Renee to the king and declare that she wants to be bound to Renee. Cecilia is sure that the king will refuse her choice, and she can return to the human world. All Cecilia has to do is answer "no" to all of the king's questions.

What Cecilia does not know is that Renee is in love with her. When the king asks Renee if she loves Cecilia, Renee feels compelled to answer truthfully. What happens next is something that neither girl expected; the king announces that the two will be bound.

Cecilia is upset by the news because she brought Renee with her and put her in this predicament. Renee is upset because she has feelings for Cecilia, but is afraid that Cecilia will reject her and end the friendship. To make matters even more complicated, there is civil unrest in the kingdom that both girls find themselves having to deal with as the king becomes even more ill.

Will Renee find the courage to reveal her secret to Cecilia? If so, will Cecilia accept her? Will the two be able to quash the uprising, or has Cecilia's decision to bring Renee with her seal Renee's fate?

Review

The first thing that I noticed in Faerie Queen was how the faerie world was a separate world than the human world. The faerie world did not have the "Middle Earth" feel that a lot of books in the fantasy genre have. I thought this added a unique quality to the story, and thought that discussing how challenging it was for Renee to perform simple tasks in the faerie world (like opening a door) added realism to the story.

I remember what it was like to be around 15-years-old, and I feel that the author really connected with the mid - to older- teens in how she presented the internal struggle with self-esteem and inner-confidence that most girls in this age group go through. I found myself empathizing more with Renee than Cecilia, but I am sure that there are plenty of girls out there who will empathize with Cecilia.

The plot has a mix of lightheartedness and seriousness as the protagonists deal with "normal teenage" issues along with darker "grown-up" issues. There were times when I was almost in tears over poor Renee's heartache and saddened to see how the two were exposed to danger and bloodshed; however, there were times when I laughed at the protagonists' off-hand remarks. I think the author created a good balance of the two, which prevented it from being too dark without adding too much levity when addressing the issues that the protagonists faced.

Finally, I enjoyed how the author addressed the issue of sexuality. I was happy to see that Renee's family accepted her sexuality; without implying that it was "unusual" or "aberrant." I know that in reality that this is not always the case, but it was nice to see it addressed in such a positive and sensitive manner.

If my niece was not a toddler, I would not only be comfortable with her reading this book, but I would buy it for her. The author kept the romance from being "hot and heavy" without coming across as prudish, and did a great job of addressing the idea of acceptance using a mix of realistic characters in a whimsical and magical fantasy setting.